Detective denies taking bribe

Press, 4 May 1984, Page 7

Detective denies taking bribe

An Invercargill detective strenuously denied in the High Court yesterday accepting a $3OOO bribe in 1980 from a man now facing a charge of aggravated robbery to help the man have his ban on attending race meetings lifted by the New Zealand Racing Conference.

Alistair John Barr, aged 32, is on trial on a charge that with another man, who is not named, he robbed Lewis Graeme Steele of $106,722 while armed with a revolver at Lumsden on March 17, 1983.

The Crown alleges that two heavily disguised men, one armed with a revolver and the other with a sawnoff double-barrelled shotgun, held up the staff of the Bank of New Zealand at Lumsden and made their getaway on a stolen motorcycle which was later abandoned.

It was the largest bank hold-up in the history of New Zealand and most of the proceeds, apart from a few hundred dollars which were dropped as the offenders fled at high speed on the motor-cycle, have not been recovered.

Messrs G. S. Noble and R. H. Ibbotson, of Invercargill, appear for the Crown, and Mr D. C. Fitzgibbon and Mrs L. O. Smith, of Auckland, for Barr who has pleaded not guilty. Mr Justice Roper is on the bench.

Detective Sergeant Glenn Ronald Smith, of the Invercargill C. 1.8., said that on March 19, 1983, he and Detective Anthony Owen Heney went to Barr’s home but there was no response to their knocking although a small lamp in the dining room was on.

They left the premises and were making arrangements to call up extra staff to keep observation on the house when Barr drove away from the premises in a Valiant car. They followed Barr and stopped him. After returning with him to his home, Barr was questioned about his movements on March 17, the day of the bank robbery, and he replied that he had gone to Queenstown in a rental car. Barr was extremely nervous and was. pacing about the dining room. Asked if there was anyone

who could verify hj s whereabouts at 11.15 am that day, Barr replied that there was no-one. He had not stopped on the trip to Queenstown where he had

gone to Alistair Proctor. When searched, Barr had $4OO in $lO notes in one of his pockets. Apart from some reference to gambling, Barr made no explanation for having that amount of cash.

To Mrs Smith, Detective Smith said that he had never got the impression that Barr was in great pain but he did appear to be very nervous.

Witness said that he had spoken to Detective SeniorSergeant Bell on the telephone while at Barr’s home to familiarise himself with what had been found at Lumsden to give him a better idea of what to search for in the house.

Are you telling us that you went to Barr’s address on the Saturday and didn’t know what you were going there for? — That morning there had been a sighting of Gibson Grace in Kelvin Street and he was seen to walk across the park heading towards Barr’s home. Detective Smith said that he had gone to Barr’s address to see if Gibson Grace was there and to check out Barr’s movements on the day of the robbery. He agreed that a person taking a shower at Barr’s home might not hear someone knocking at the door. When he saw Barr he gave the impression of just having taken a shower. That could have been an explanation as to why he did not open the door.

Barr had told him that he had arrived at Queenstown about 11.30 a.m. on March

If the robbers had left the Lumsden bank at 11.15 a.m. and if Barr had been one of them he could not possibly have got to Queenstown in 15 minutes? — If what he told me was true, he couldn’t have.

Asked about a piece of paper with the word, “Gib,” on it, which he had found at Barr’s home, Detective Smith said that he thought that it could have referred to Gibson Grace.

Did you tell Barr that if he gave the police the names of the bank robbers

he would be given $lO,OOO or $20,000? — No that’s ridiculous. I didn’t say that. Where would I get that money from to give him? You had had personal financial dealings with Barr yourself haven’t you? — No. Do you remember in 1980 speaking to the New Zealand Racing Conference inspector, Mr David Williams, about Barr being granted an exemption to be allowed to go on a racecourse? — I remember some discussion with Mr Williams as to Barr’s behaviour at that tune.

Is it not the case that about that time you told Barr that you knew the inspector and could have a ? vo l rd ,,, with him on Barr’s behalf . — Yes, that is quite possible because at the time, from my point of view, Barr was behaving himself.

Did you not tell Mr Barr that for a small fee you could get him back on a racecourse? - No, that’s not right at all.

Barr paid you $3OOO didn’t he? - No.

But in November, 1980, Barr was granted an exemption to go back on a racecourse wasn’t he? - 1 do not know the date but was aware that he was granted an exemption to return to the racecourse.

Knowing Mr Williams whom he would see perhaps once a year, he doubted what he said to him would greatly influence any decision as to whether he got back on to a racecourse, Detective Smith said. As he recalled it, Mr Williams had asked him how. Barr had been behaving.

Did you put in a good word for him? — Yes, I did. I said something to the effect that we had had no problems with him over the period. It was as simple as that.

So the only thing you deny then is receiving the $3OOO to put in a good word? — That never happened at all; it’s just too ridiculous.

Detective Smith denied that the crash helmet on which Barr’s fingerprints were found was in his car on March 19 when he asked Barr to get into the vehicle and that Barr had to pick it up with both hands and shift it on to the floor so he could sit down.